It's Bagels, a New York-style bagel shop founded by fashion photographer Dan Martensen, has opened its fourth branch at 60 Hampstead High Street. The shop officially opened to the public on Monday, September 28, and celebrated with a "back to school bash" for the community.
Community Celebration with Freebies
The opening event featured free bagels, drinks, school supplies, and a children's entertainer. The back to school bash handed out free food and drink and school supplies to attendees, as shown in photos by Tess Lister.
The new Hampstead venue has seating but mainly operates as a "grab and go" location, catering to customers on the move.
From Pandemic Craving to Popular Brand
The brand began when Martensen, a New Yorker, moved to north London during the pandemic and missed the authentic bagels of his home city. He started developing a bagel with baker Jack Ponting, Caravan's head baker, that had a "crusty, malty exterior with a moist and chewy interior".
When Martensen opened his first shop in Primrose Hill in 2023, queues formed around the block. Further branches followed in Notting Hill and Soho before the Hampstead opening.
Menu and Offerings
Customers can choose from plain, sesame, everything, garlic, cinnamon raisin, poppy, and onion bagels, and build them with different fillings and cream cheese 'schmears'. The menu includes The Works, made with schmear, lox, capers, onion, lemon, and seasonal tomato, and the BEC, with bacon, egg, and cheese. There are also meal deals, drinks including beer and matcha tea, and chocolate chip cookies.
Martensen on Hampstead
Martensen, who has photographed celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Winona Ryder, and Naomi Campbell, said Hampstead was a "great fit" for his bagel shop.
"It's genuinely special, with a real sense of community, incredible architecture, families everywhere, and the Heath, one of the greatest gathering places of all," he said. "We always prefer a great neighbourhood over a location that simply looks good on a spreadsheet."
"What excites us most is becoming part of the Hampstead community. We want to be the place people stop before a walk on the Heath, before school drop-off, or before a picnic on a sunny weekend."
The shop's branding includes retro 1980s styling, paper bags with a yellow smiley face and the words 'have a nice day', and vintage posters referencing New York bands and locations. The new branch is now open at 60 Hampstead High Street.
